Göring Gambit Accepted- 4...dxc3 5.Nxc3

Black's most critical test of the gambit is to accept it, and if you know what you're doing, accepting the gambit offers Black good winning chances. However, it also gives White what he/she wants, and gives White the majority of the piece play and attacking chances, and the resulting positions often become complicated very quickly.

With 5.Nxc3 White settles for sacrificing just one pawn. This is less risky than sacrificing a second pawn with 5.Bc4, but it allows Black to get into lines following 5...Bb4 and 5...Bc5 that White can avoid by using the 5.Bc4 move-order (if 5.Bc4 Bb4, 6.0-0 and 6.bxc3 are probably both preferable to 6.Nxc3, and if 5.Bc4 Bc5, White has the tactic 6.Bxf7+ followed by 7.Qd5+ and 8.Qxc5.)

White's main ideas are:

To put pressure on f7 with Bc4, Qb3 and/or Ng5. Ng5 can also be followed by the advance of the f-pawn.

If Black's bishop on f8 ends up cut off from the defence of the kingside (notably in the lines with ...Bc5 followed by ...d6), it can be better to attack on the kingside dark squares with Bg5 and Nd5.

If Black plays ...Nf6, to be able to kick the knight by playing e4-e5. This often accelerates White's initiative. The threat of hitting ...Nf6 with e4-e5 makes Black's kingside development difficult, a key part of White's compensation for the pawn.

To catch the black king in the centre.

Black's main ideas are:

If White goes for the Bc4, Qb3 approach, a key resource is to "fork" the queen and bishop with a well-timed ...Nc6-a5, forcing the exchange of the white bishop on c4 for the black knight on c6. This reduces White's attacking potential.

Nf3-g5 from White can often be met by ...Nc6-e5 followed by ...h7-h6, kicking the knight, although in many variations White can then mix things by attacking the knight on e5 with f2-f4.

To try and develop the kingside pieces quickly and get castled to comparative safety.

Other ideas for Black vary depending on what Black chooses to do with the bishop on f8. Black can cover the e5-square with the immediate 5...d6 intending ...Nf6, ...Be7 and ...0-0. Alternatively Black can develop the bishop actively at b4 or c5, with the idea of playing ...d6, ...Nf6 and ...0-0. If the bishop goes to b4 it is often with the aim of chopping off the knight on c3, exchanging a pair of minor pieces, but at the cost of giving White the bishop-pair in an open position.

Here I take a look at A) 5...Bb4, B) 5...Bc5, C) 5...d6.

A: 5...Bb4

5...Bb4 has traditionally been regarded as the most critical response. Black pins the knight on c3 to the king and intends to swap it off, and play ...d6, ...Nf6 and ...0-0 with a solid position.

Against this White has experimented with 6.Bg5, attacking the queen and encouraging Black to develop the knight on g8 to block the attack, resulting in the knight being pinned. However, after 6...Nge7 with the idea of ...0-0, ...d6 and ...Be6, White may struggle to get enough of an initiative for the sacrificed pawn. White can consider castling queenside and advancing the kingside pawns, as per the game Gufeld-Stein, Kiev 1959, which continued 7.Qc2 d6 8.0-0-0 Bxc3 9.Qxc3 0-0 10.h4 Be6 11.h5 h6 and Black was able to repel the attack. The surprising retreat 6...Be7!? also looks good for Black.

So White generally continues 6.Bc4, eyeing Black's weak point on f7.

6.Bc4This is the usual continuation for White, as in other variations, eyeing Black's weak point at f7. Instead White can try 6.Bg5,6...d6This prepares ...Nf6 and castling by adding more protection to the e5-square. If instead 6...Nf6, then White gets in 7.e5, and a complicated queenless middlegame often arsies after 7...d5 8.exf6 dxc4 9.Qxd8+ Nxd8, when Black's king ends up exposed in the centre. 6...Nge7 avoids this problem but the knight is more passively placed on e7, and White can get reasonable compensation for the pawn with 7.Ng5 or the quieter 7.0-0. 6...Bxc3+ is a good alternative, which tends to transpose to the main line after 7.bxc3 d6, but commits Black to an exchange on c3, thus denying Black the possibility 6...d6 7.Ng5 Nh6.7.Ng5White attacks f7 and prepares the advance of the f-pawn. White is struggling to get enough compensation for the pawn with other moves. 7.0-0 unpins the knight on c3, thus threatening 8.Nd5, but 7...Bxc3! 8.bxc3 Nf6!, preparing castling, is looking good for Black. 7.Qb3 is more of a test for Black, attacking f7, but 7...Bxc3+! 8.bxc3 (if 8.Qxc3 Qf6) 8...Qe7 9.0-0 Nf6 is also a robust defence for Black. Black is threatening to "fork" the queen on b3 and bishop on c4 with ...Na5.

7...Nh6Black defends against the attack on f7 and prepares kingside castling, but at the cost of not having the knight on its best square (f6). Instead 7...Bxc3+ is fully playable and probably as good. 8.bxc3 Nh6 9.0-0 followed by f4 gives White decent compensation for the pawn, with kingside attacking chances. If 8...Ne5 White can retreat with 9.Bb3 with the idea 10.f4, and if Black kicks the knight on g5 with 9...h6 (as is normally played), White plays 10.f4 anyway, hitting the knight on e5, and if 10...Bg4 11.Qd4. 9.Bd5!? is another option, with the idea that if Black is tempted into 9...c6 10.Bb3, the d6-pawn now lacks protection.8.0-0White threatens Nc3-d5. 8...0-0Black allows Nc3-d5, reckoning that the move does not cause Black serious problems in this particular position. Instead 8...Bxc3 9.bxc3 followed by 10.f4 transposes to 7...Bxc3+ 8.bxc3 Nh6.9.Nd5 Bc5Black gets the bishop out of the way of the attack on the knight on d5.10.Nf3White realises that the attack on f7 isn't getting anywhere and so retreats the knight, threatening Bc1xh6, forcing the recapture ...g7xh6, which would leave the black king exposed.10...Ng4 11.Bg5 Qd7

In this position White has reasonable compensation for the pawn due to the active white pieces and Black's ongoing problems completing development. Here are some practical examples of 5...Bb4.

Classical development: 5...Bc5

5...Bc5 This is a tough and generally underrated defence. The idea is again ...Nf6 and ...0-0 with a solid position.6.Bc4This is again the right reply, eyeing Black's weak point on f7 and preparing castling.6...d6Black should play this before ...Nf6, because the immediate 6...Nf6 is hit by 7.e5. 6...d6 also has the advantage of defending the bishop on c5. Other moves tend to have the drawback of allowing the tactic Bxf7+ followed by Qd5+ and Qxc5, exploiting the position of the bishop on c5.7.Bg5A change of plan from the usual. In this 5...Bc5 line, the immediate attacks on f7 tend not to work so well, for reasons that are not immediately obvious- essentially Black's bishop on c5 covers the d4-square, and so for example after 7.Ng5?! Ne5 8.Bb3 h6 9.f4 Bg4, Black is better because White can't play 10.Qd4. However, White can get enough compensation for the pawn by attacking the weak dark squares on the black kingside. The idea is to follow up with Nc3-d5 (as this knight is not pinned against the white king!) and then to harass the black queenside pieces by pushing the b-pawn.Equally as good is 7.0-0, side-stepping any ...Bxf2+ tricks and intending 8.Bg5 and the same plan. The 7.0-0 move-order is possibly more likely to tempt Black into playing 7...Nf6 (instead of the slightly stronger 7...Nge7) when 8.Bg5 follows, but it does also allow Black the independent possibility 7...Bg4 8.Bg5 Qd7!?, which appears to be untested. Note that the position after 7.0-0 Nf6 also arises from a sideline of the Giuoco Piano: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.0-0 dxc3 7.Nxc3 d6.7...Nge7This seems to be best. After 7...Nf6 White should continue 8.0-0, since 8.Nd5?! is met by the tactic 8...Bxf2+, with the idea 9.Kxf2 Nxe4+ and ...Nxg5. Then if 8...Bg4 9.Nd5 Ne5, White keeps things under control with 10.Be2, or if 8...h6 9.Bxf6 Qxf6 10.Nd5 Qd8 and White then starts the queenside pawn roller with 11.b4. Black also has the additional options 7...Qd7!? and 7...f6!? which are worth exploring, but these are denied to Black if White uses the 7.0-0 move-order.8.0-0The immediate 8.Nd5 no longer fails to ...Bxf2+ tricks, and if Black continues 8...f6, Paul Keres's piece sacrifice 9.Bxf6!? is very dangerous. But 8...h6! is a problem, with the idea 9.Bh4 g5. It looks loosening for Black, but Black ends up getting a fair share of the initiative while retaining the extra pawn. 10.Bg3 Nxd5 11.exd5 Qe7+ exploits the fact that White's king is still stuck in the centre. 10.Nf6+ is probably best, catching the black king in the centre, but after 10...Kf8 11.Bg3 Ng6 Black is still doing well, albeit in a complicated position.8.Qc2 intending queenside castling is another idea, but it seems to me that if Black flicks in ...h6 and Bh4, the white dark-squared bishop rather gets in the way of the advance of the white kingside pawns, and so it is probably too slow.8...0-0Black brings the king to comparable safety. Black can also insert 8...h6 9.Bh4.

9.Nd5Now is the right time to bring in the knight. Black's position is already under serious pressure, and has to be careful not to end up dropping a piece once the white queenside pawns start advancing.9...Be6Black has a few alternatives here, including 9...h6 10.Bh4 Qd7, breaking the pin on the knight on e7, whereupon White's best is probably to initiate complications with 11.b4.10.b4Paul Keres suggested another piece sacrifice here, 10.Nf6+?!, when Black has to play very accurately to survive after 10...gxf6? 11.Bxf6 (11...h6 12.Ng5! hxg5 13.Qh5 Ng6 14.Bxd8 Bxc4 gives Black three pieces for the queen, but I would still rather be White). However, if the sacrifice is declined with 10...Kh8, White gets into a tangle. The direct attack with 11.Bd3 h6 12.Nh4 Ng8 (Littleton-Paulsen, Britain 1960) does not work.Instead with 10.b4, White goes on the offensive and is prepared to sacrifice a second pawn for an accelerated initiative. The continuation 10...Nxd5 11.exd5 Nxb4 12.a3 Na6 13.Rb1 Bb6 14.Re1 (Gneutchel-Peschen, email 2012)

Solid defence: 5...d6

5...d6 This prepares solid development with ...Nf6, ...Be7 and ...0-0. This line also commonly arises after 5.Bc4 (5...d6 is probably the most reliable way of declining the second pawn, and then White has nothing better than 6.Nxc3). Note that 5...Nf6 transposes with best play after 6.Bc4 d6, because other sixth moves are generally met by 7.e5, hitting the knight on f6.6.Bc4White's only way to get full compensation for the pawn against this is to attack f7 immediately before Black gets the chance to develop and castle.6...Nf6This is most consistent and best. The idea is simply 7...Be7 and 8...0-0. If Black plays 6...Be7 instead, then after 7.Qb3 Black cannot defend f7, and so has to try and give up the pawn and rely on the bishop-pair to compensate, with 7...Na5 8.Bxf7+ Kf8 9.Qa4 the usual continuation. White ends up slightly better due to Black's exposed king. Black ends up under considerable pressure after 6...Be6 7.Bxe6 fxe6 8.Qb3, attacking e6 and b7.7.Qb3White attacks f7. Equally good is 7.Ng5, also attacking f7, whereupon 7...Ne5 8.Bb3 h6 9.f4 normally follows, and White gets reasonable compensation for the pawn (again if 9...Bg4 10.Qd4).7.0-0?! is too slow to generate full compensation for the pawn, although as I have found out the hard way from the black side of this position, White does get some (but not enough) long-term positional pressure. 7...Be7 is the right response. One advantage of Black keeping the dark-squared bishop locked inside the pawn chain is that any Bc1-g5 pins can be parried with ...Be7.7...Qd7This blocks in the c8-bishop, but covers the a4-e8 diagonal and so threatens to "fork" the bishop on c4 and queen on b3 with ...Nc6-a5. Instead after 7...Qe7?! the queen ends up vulnerable to being hit by Nc3-d5.8.Ng5White brings another piece into the attack on f7, so now f7 is attacked three times and defended only twice.8...Ne5Black defends f7 and attacks the bishop on c4. Instead 8...Nd8 is rather passive, and White does best to aim for the e4-e5 push against this, starting with 9.f4, so that if Black plays ...h6 White can play Ng5-f3 without blocking the white f-pawn.9.Bb5Temporarily pinning the black queen to the king. 9.Be2 is an alternative which has been played and analysed by Martin Voigt, but I don't think it is as good, as White's bishop is more passively placed on e2.9...c6Black blocks the pin. Instead 9...Nc6 is rarely played but is playable, intending to kick the knight on g5 with ...h7-h6 and then develop normally. Against this is probably best met by 10.f4, with the idea of pushing forward with e4-e5.10.f4

This chaotic mess is actually one of the most theoretically critical positions of the Göring Gambit. It's probably equal with best play, but there is plenty of scope for both sides to go wrong in navigating the complications. Practical examples of 5...d6 coming soon.

Alternatives for Black

Other moves should not trouble White. 5...Nf6 is the most reasonable of the bunch. After 6.Bc4 Black should play 6...d6, transposing to 5...d6 6.Bc4 Nf6, since alternatives are met by 7.e5.5...h6 is a common reaction at club level, but White can get more than enough compensation for the pawn by continuing with Bc4, Qb3, 0-0 and then preparing e4-e5; even getting in the ...Nc6-a5 "fork" tends to fall short for Black, due to being a long way behind in development.5...g6 is tricky because if 6.Bc4 d6 7.Bg5, exploiting the weakened kingside dark squares, Black can get away with 7...Be7!?, but Mark Nieuweboer's suggestion of playing 7.0-0 first, waiting for Black to commit the knight on g8 to f6 or e7, and then playing 8.Bg5, looks very convincing. Black will soon regret the voluntary weakening of the kingside dark squares.If 5...Bd6, suggested by Siegfried Kalkofen and pointed out to me by Stefan Bucker, White should continue with 6.Bc4 and either 7.Bg5 or 7.0-0, with the idea of pushing e4-e5, and if Black puts a piece on e5, White should exchange it off and play f2-f4, gaining time and space.Again, here are some practical examples of these uncommon variations.

In summary, the 5.Nxc3 line appears to be reasonably sound as well as dangerous, but objectively Black's resources are enough to keep the chances level. More dangerous but less definitely sound is to offer the second pawn with 5.Bc4.